The Birthday Boy
by RuthanneReid
Summary: What do a birthday party, wild animals, and naked onmyouji have in common? You'll have to read to find out! A Tokyo Babylon fic.
1. Default Chapter

> The cat clearly did not want to be helped. This was made obvious not only by the noises it was making, but also by the fact that it had drawn blood from each of the three people who'd approached it, and still wasn't looking repentant.
> 
> "Hold it... hold it! Now!" Seishirou said, and lunged, holding a towel in both hands like a magic shield. Of course, the cat dodged.
> 
> "Eee! I got it - ack! I don't!" Hokuto yipped, trying to catch the animal, but it similarly avoided her and made a run for the door.
> 
> Subaru was waiting for it. "Come on... NOW!" He shouted, more for his own benefit than his partners', and made a graceful, swooping dive with his towel.
> 
> The cat had not expected such speed from the smaller, slender male, and did not dodge in time; in seconds, Subaru had successfully captured and wrapped the feline like a kitty burrito. Bereft of any other options, the cat yowled pitifully and twitched its tail.
> 
> "You got it!" Hokuto proclaimed, and clapped her hands.
> 
> Seishirou's glasses had been knocked askew, and he straightened them as he approached. "Excellent job, Subaru-kun! You handled that like an expert," he said, and deftly took the writhing bundle into his hands. "And as for YOU, young man," he addressed the cat. "You've won yourself an all-expense paid trip to the premium-strength cages, which I normally reserve for unruly dogs - and possibly an extra prize of tranquilizer." In respose, the cat only yowled more loudly, but Seishirou remained unmoved. Delivering his patient with smooth and practiced efficiency into a larger, reinforced cage, Seishirou secured the tiny door, then turned back to his assistants with a smile.
> 
> "Excellent!" he said, offering them disinfectant towelette to clean their hands. "Who wants ice cream?"
> 
> "Yay!" exclaimed Hokuto, waving her towlette and bouncing on her toes.
> 
> "Ice cream?" Subaru asked, looking moderately guilty at the thought. "But it's only eleven."
> 
> "And we have all been working hard since last night, Subaru-kun, especially you," Seishirou said, rinsing his hands in the sink. "You've been here helping me since four o'clock this morning. I can't possibly allow my Subaru-kun to grow ill!"
> 
> "But ice cream isn't very healthy - "
> 
> "Subaru, stop being such a spoil-sport," Hokuto said, and swatted him.
> 
> Subaru drooped. "Oh, I... all right," he conceded with a slight blush, and Hokuto cheered again.
> 
> The Sumeragi twins had been with Seishirou all night long, dealing with animals who'd been turned from pets to temporary refugees by a flood downtown. Many of the furry indigents had been caught, of course, but many had not; and worried for their safety, Subaru had been outside ever since he'd seen the news broadcast the night before, helping the relief workers to catch these poor animals and return them to their homes or get them into shelters. This cat was the last of the strays he'd brought to Seishirou's clinic.
> 
> "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to keep you both up so late," Subaru apologized as Hokuto and Seishirou hustled him to the waiting room; he jumped a little when somebody's hand brushed his side as he pulled on his coat.
> 
> "Oh, don't be silly, Subaru, we WANTED to help you," Hokuto said, hopping around him to button the bottom half of his coat before buttoning her own. "We couldn't leave those poor things out there to die! It's February! They'd freeze!"
> 
> Subaru nodded, knotting his scarf. "I... I know. But still, you didn't have to help me."
> 
> Seishirou slid his arms around from behind and buttoned the top half of Subaru's coat. "We wanted to help you - it was the right thing to do! Wouldn't you agree, Subaru-kun?" Seishirou said against the younger man's ear, and gave Subaru a snuggly-tight hug.
> 
> Subaru squeaked and struggled wildly. "S-S-SEIshirou-san!" he protested, cheeks flaming red.
> 
> "Oooh, you two behaaave," Hokuto said, waggling her finger and sounding as though she meant exactly the opposite.
> 
> Seishirou tsked lightly and pointed into the air, entering lecture mode. "All right, Subaru-kun, I'll stop - but only on one condition," he said, and then leveled his finger at Subaru's nose. "YOU must go home and get some sleep," he ordered, and Hokuto nodded affirmatively.
> 
> "That's exactly right, Sei-chan!" she said, pushing them both out the door into the cold of an early Februrary afternoon. "Where would Subaru-kun be without you to take care of him?"
> 
> "But... I have a job," Subaru protested helplessly as the door shut and locked behind him, cutting off his voice; and inside the clinic, one very irritated cat continued its determined escape effort.
> 
> * * *
> 
> "Really, Subaru-kun, you push yourself too much," Hokuto said around a mouthful of Seishirou's ice cream. "Riroi can WAIT, you know."
> 
> Subaru blushed. "No, he really can't, and I don't have the right - sure, you can have a bite - to make him. I need to just... be there on time, and I've only got an hour to get home and get my robes."
> 
> Hokuto shook her head. "Noooo," she said. "We Sumeragi are always there for people who NEED us - but he doesn't need you. He wants you." She lowered her voice. "And frankly, you can do a whole lot better than Riroi," she said, rolling her eyes, and then bluntly indicated Seishirou with a nod of her head. Subaru blushed.
> 
> "I'm not going to 'do' better with anybody, Hokuto-chan. I'm not LOOKING," he protested. "And don't call the Kokushi that."
> 
> Seishirou sighed dramatically. "Still, still he rejects me, in spite of my deep, passionate love," he said, wiping away invisible tears with his fingers. Hokuto took another bite of his ice cream.
> 
> Subaru flushed more deeply. "I'm serious, Seishirou-san. He called me to go, and I have to go. And... I'll go home and sleep afterward, I promise, but I can't just ignore him - "
> 
> "Sure you can!" Hokuto interjected. "After all, we're going to celebrate our sixteenth birthday this year, and we haven't done anything to prepare for it! And you aren't really crying, Sei-chan, cut it out."
> 
> "Oh," said Subaru. "I forgot."
> 
> "Forgot!?" Hokuto said, coming to a halt and whirling on him. "How could you forget?"
> 
> "Hokuto-chan, we're not celebrating it until July," Subaru said, looking embarassed; Hokuto was not to be dissuaded.
> 
> "We only turn sixteen once! ONCE, do you hear? This isn't something to be taken lightly, Sumeragi Subaru!" she pronounced, feet planted wide on the sidewalk. And then she blinked, eyes focused on something behind him. "Oops."
> 
> Puzzled, Subaru turned, following her gaze to one of the digital clocks gracing the outside of a bank across the street. "Ah!" he cried. "It's almost one! I'm going to be late!" And then he yipped because Seishirou swept him up with strong arms right off the sidewalk. "Seishirou-san! Wh... what are you _doing_?"
> 
> Seishirou was all business. "Saving my Subaru-kun's reputation, of course," he said with solemnity, and took off in an an effortlessly smooth stride for his van.
> 
> "Sei-ei-shi-i-rou-ou-san!" Subaru protested, bouncing, gripping his hat with one hand and Seishirou's shoulder with the other.
> 
> "Yay! Veterinarian in shining armor!" Hokuto cheered, and ran after them.
> 
> * * *
> 
> By some miracle Subaru arrived on time, flying up the path in his ceremonial robe and slippers and trying to pace himself so as not to be out of breath when he arrived in the governor's presence. Seishirou and Hokuto stayed in the van, watching him go.
> 
> "So... what'll we do?" Hokuto said, leaning between the two front seats and peering up at Seishirou adoringly. "It's gotta be SPECIAL, Sei-chan!"
> 
> "Even though it's not really your birthday?" Seishirou responded with a sidelong-grin, winking. Hokuto swatted his arm.
> 
> "Stop that. You're wasting time," she declared.
> 
> Seishirou beamed. "No time with my future sister-in-law is wasted, Hokuto-chan!" he said, and she swatted him again.
> 
> "Be SERIOUS!"
> 
> Seishirou settled back with a sigh. "Well, Hokuto-chan; I have to admit that gift-hunting for your brother is much more challenging than I thought," he conceded, glancing at her sidelong. "He doesn't really want anything, does he?"
> 
> Hokuto sighed explosively. "No, he doesn't," she said, and rested her chin on her hands. "The only thing that makes him happy is when other people are happy - or animals, or..."
> 
> "Perhaps a pet?" Seishirou suggested, but Hokuto shook her head.
> 
> "No; neither of us are home often enough to take care of it, and he has enough problems with guilt trips already. And can you imagine when it finally dies? No, that won't work at all."
> 
> "As always, Hokuto-chan is wise," Seishirou agreed, watching the small explosions and odd poufs of color coming from the windows of the governor's mansion. "Hm, it seems he'll be in there for a while. Seat belt, please."
> 
> Hokuto complied, squirming into the front seat and buckling up. Seishirou pulled away from the mansion.
> 
> "Perhaps he just needs a vacation," he suggested with an odd smile, and Hokuto sighed again.
> 
> "Nope," she said. "He'd never take it - too much to do, remember?"
> 
> "Well - I'm at a loss then, Hokuto-chan," Seishirou admitted pensively.
> 
> Hokuto patted his arm. "Oh, don't worry," she said. "Between the two of us, we'll think of something grand - we ARE his family, are we not?"
> 
> Seishirou smiled in response, and Hokuto was satisfied. They chatted for a while more, amiably, until Seishirou dropped her off back at her apartment house; and when he pulled away, he looked pleased.
> 
> "Oh, I know just what to do for my Subaru-kun," he murmured to himself, and smiling almost pleasantly, he donned his sunglasses and headed back toward Riroi's mansion.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Subaru did not wrest his freedom from Riroi and accompanying demons until sunset had begun to paint the sky red over the west of Tokyo. It turned out that Riroi's "small meeting" was actually a hopeful discussion between Subaru and the governor's three top advisors regarding the future of the city, but the only result was chaos; it wasn't every day one encountered two out of three loyal advisors who also happened to be possessed and determined to take over their employer's mind. Misunderstanding Subaru's attendance, the demons had attacked him almost immediately out of self-defense; naturally, Subaru had fought back, and a minor war resulted - one which lasted for several hours.
> 
> At least it had ended well. Riroi was unharmed, the demons were cast out, the advisors were sent home with wards of all kinds on their bodies and souls, and Subaru himself refused the governor's generous offer to spend the night and instead headed toward home. This had been a terrible day; draining, exhausting, very messy. Feeling as if he could barely put one foot in front of the other, Subaru moved slowly toward the slender, private garden entrance that led to the street.
> 
> There was someone standing in the gate's shadow. Someone tall, leaning against the wall with that pretunatural stillness that only predators seem to possess, and a few moments passed before Subaru realized who it was.
> 
> "Seishirou-san?" he queried, shock fluttering in his stomach.
> 
> The shadow pushed away from the wall - and Seishirou-san it was, all hints of menace suddenly banished back into the imagination. "Subaru-kun," he said with concern, approaching. "Are you all right? You look terrible!"
> 
> Subaru wasn't surprised that he looked terrible; he felt terrible, and knew for a fact that his robes were a mess. "You... Seishirou-san, I was in there for hours! You shouldn't have waited for me."
> 
> "Don't be silly, Subaru-kun," Seishirou said, draping his coat around Subaru's frame and bundling him toward the van. "Who else would come to take you home?"
> 
> "Seishirou-san," Subaru protested, but he did not fight. He was exhausted; being taken care of like this, right now, was soothing internal wounds he didn't even know he had.
> 
> "Off we go," Seishirou said as soon as Subaru was ready, and pulled away.
> 
> Subaru was quiet for a long time. Outside the window, sidewalks filled with people flew by at varying speeds, according to the flow of traffic; Subaru's gaze lingered along the dark skyline of Tokyo, contrasted against the brilliance of this Februrary sunset. Eventually, he closed his eyes.
> 
> "Seishirou-san?" he said quietly.
> 
> "Yes, Subaru-kun?"
> 
> "Why did you stay?"
> 
> "Why, because I love you, Subaru-kun. Hokuto-chan is probably worried silly about you."
> 
> Subaru didn't answer right away. He sat, wrapped in the safety of Seishirou's jacket and Seishirou's concern, and after a moment, he felt very good. Visibly, spiritually, he relaxed.
> 
> "Thank you, Seishirou-san," he said.
> 
> Seishirou smiled. They rode the rest of the trip in silence.
> 
> * * *
> 
> The next few months absolutely flew by. School, appointments all over the city, two trips to see his grandmother, and of course, evenings at the veterinary clinic took up his time, and soon everything merged into one busy mass. It seemed that Subaru had no time to think about anything else but work; and then suddenly it was July - the time he and Hokuto had agreed to celebrate their birthday.
> 
> Subaru did not usually care to make a fuss at all, but Hokuto always insisted on at least one birthday party for the sake of their friends and dragged him into the thick of it. Well, her friends, anyway; Subaru, as much as he loved and was loved, had very few people other than Hokuto and Seishirou with whom he would consider spending an evening.
> 
> Unusually, this year Hokuto had not been up to her usual shenannigans. She had not prepared an outfit for him, nor dropped any broad hints; instead, she'd merely smiled like a cat, given him significant looks, and cackled every once in a while. Subaru knew his sister well; rather than growing paranoid, he accepted that she'd tell him what was going on when she was good and ready, and there was nothing he could do to speed up the process.
> 
> And then came the first weekend in July, and it was too late to run.
> 
> * * *
> 
> "You're going camping with Sei-chan," Hokuto informed him blithely over tea one Friday evening, and Subaru nearly choked.
> 
> "WHAT?" he blurted, spilling a little of his jasmine; Hokuto mopped it up.
> 
> "You're going camping with Sei-chan," she repeated, unrepentant. "That's his present to you. You're going to get some memories."
> 
> "Memories? Of WHAT?!" Subaru cried, and Hokuto gave him a look that said he was being silly.
> 
> "Why, your time together, of course!" she exuded. "The outdoors! Each other! Animals! Birds! Blossoms - of romance! ANYTHING could happen!" She clapped her hands together while Subaru sputtered, then leveled a finger at him. "Don't you DARE think of turning him down, Sumeragi Subaru! He's promised me he won't do ANYTHING to you you don't want, and he's cleared his entire schedule to be able to do this. You ARE going, and don't you say another word about it!"
> 
> Subaru knew when a case was hopeless, but he tried to protest anyway. Looking satisfied, Hokuto was already clearing the dishes from the counter.
> 
> "But... where did this come from, Hokuto-chan?" Subaru asked miserably. "I don't have time for something like this!"
> 
> "Oh, you're hard to shop for, Subaru, you know that!" Hokuto said happily, dropping dishes into the sink. "And don't be silly. Of course you have time."
> 
> "But... but I have jobs..."
> 
> "Not any more, you don't," Hokuto replied. "I cleared your schedule all the way to Tuesday."
> 
> Subaru goggled. "Tuesday!?" he said, his voice cracking; and with truly despicable timing, the doorbell rang.
> 
> "There he is!" Hokuto said, happily abandoning the dishes in favor of skipping out toward the foyer. "I didn't want to give you any time to come up with any excuses."
> 
> "Hokuto-chan!" Subaru protested, reaching for her, but Hokuto was already past him; flinging open the door, she inviting Seishirou inside with open arms. The two of them talked loudly and joyously for a few moments about the wonderful time that was going to be had, and then Subaru finally peeked around the corner.
> 
> He spotted Seishirou and froze with a tiny inhale.
> 
> The vet stood there, bereft of his usual academic appearance, outfitted for hiking rather than the lab: khaki pants, boots, buckles over everything - and he was smiling a full 100 watts at Subaru. "There you are!" he said. "Hokuto-chan probably didn't warn you; that's all right - I brought supplies!"
> 
> "I...I'm sure you did," Subaru began weakly, flushing bright red, and then squeaked because everything started moving too quickly. Hokuto pounced; Subaru found himself dressed in hiking-appropriate wear and loaded into Seishirou's van before he quite knew what was happening. He stared, stunned, at the windshield.
> 
> "Have a great weekend!" Hokuto was calling. "Be nice! Be good! ROMANCE HIM WITHIN AN INCH OF HIS LIFE, SEI-CHAN!"
> 
> Subaru hunched down out of view as Seishirou drove off, laughing. This was definitely going to be a weekend to remember.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Seishirou waited until they pulled away from Subaru's apartment house before glancing over at his half-unwilling guest. "Please don't tell me you're unhappy, Subaru-kun," he said softly, and Subaru stirred himself to answer.
> 
> "No, no of course not, Seishirou-san," Subaru replied, sitting up straight and watching the glove compartment with concentration. "I just... this is so sudden."
> 
> Seishirou chuckled. "Yes, I know it is; but Hokuto-chan and I discussed and planned, and we finally decided that the best thing to get for you would be... a memory."
> 
> "A memory?"
> 
> Seishirou smiled. "Yes. Just wait, Subaru-kun; I think you'll see just what I mean."
> 
> Subaru had no idea what to say to that, so he went for obvious. "Thank you. I... I don't know how to show my gratitude."
> 
> "Just have a good time, Subaru-kun," Seishirou said warmly, signaling as he passed a slow driver. "I want this to be a happy time for you; no beeper, no fax machine, no assignments. Just you and the great outdoors."
> 
> "And you," Subaru murmured softly, but he'd already begun to relax. He'd never taken a vacation; the idea was both exotic and terrifying. He looked up as they approached the train station. "We're going by train?" he asked.
> 
> "Yes - we're going to the Izu peninsula, Ito area," Seishirou explained, pulling into a long-term parking spot and switching off his headlights. "It's wonderful; we can watch birds, animals - plants. Explore the forest. Mountains. Rivers. Stars, if we go far enough. Hot springs. And the wind in the trees will sing us to sleep at night."
> 
> Subaru sat still, eyes wide; and then, he smiled. "Seishirou-san," he started softly, his voice slightly thick, and Seishirou shook his head with a grin.
> 
> "Thank me later," he said. "We have to get into the station or we're going to be late."
> 
> Grinning back and feeling oddly _free_ in a way he never had before, Subaru nodded and reached behind to grab the pack Seishirou had prepared for him. This wouldn't be so bad after all.
> 
> * * *
> 
> [ to be continued ]


	2. Chapter 2

> When Subaru awoke, there were birds singing near his tent. Birds - real, live birds, free ones, not birds kept in a garden or made stupid by city life, and they were singing near his tent. Suddenly wide awake, Subaru threw back his coverlet and hurried outside.
> 
> A glorious vista greeted him, one which he hadn't been able to fully appreciate the night before. There was ocean in one direction and a mountain range in the other, a thick collar of trees around the base of the stone monoliths, and living things inhabiting them all. Subaru had never dreamed such a place could be real.
> 
> "It's paradise," he said quietly.
> 
> Behind him, Seishirou crawled halfway out of the tent and blinked in the daylight. "What's that, Subaru-kun?"
> 
> "Wonderful... this is wonderful!" Subaru said, spinning around, memorizing the horizon with eyes slightly blurred from joyful tears.
> 
> Seishirou chuckled. "And here I was worried the train trip and hike would tire you too much," he said, exiting the tent without even a hint of morning stiffness. "It was a good six hours before we stopped here, you know."
> 
> Subaru did not answer; crouched now, he had ceased studying the distance and now watched the flowers at his feet with avid fascination.
> 
> Seishirou smiled. "What shall we do today, Subaru-kun?"
> 
> "Anything. Everything," Subaru replied, looking up, the green of his irises putting the shades of grass to shame.
> 
> Seishirou beamed and pointed wisely in the air. "Then I suggest we hike and explore until the afternoon, and then either swim or visit the hot springs to clean ourselves off. How does that seem to you, Subaru-kun?"
> 
> Subaru stared up at him in amazement, his hair still slightly sleep-mussed; he nodded, too overwhelmed to speak.
> 
> Seishirou grinned. "I'll make breakfast," he announced, and handed a thinly folded map to Subaru. "Read up!"
> 
> "I will," Subaru promised ardently, and proceeded to do just that while Seishirou made a meal out of the prepared foods they'd brought with them.
> 
> It was amazing; just about every outdoor activity possible was available in this area, from scuba diving to mountain biking. Subaru ate with more of an appetite than usual - paying special attention to the banana chips - as he studied and marked the brochures Seishirou had brought along. Finally, he looked up and smiled.
> 
> "Seishirou-san," he said. "This place is amazing."
> 
> "Isn't it?" Seishirou agreed, tucking the folded tent away and snapping the last pack shut. "I adored coming here whenever I managed to catch a break from veterinary school."
> 
> Subaru perked up like one of Pavlov's trained dogs. "Really? What did you do?"
> 
> Seishirou sighed, looking dreamily off at the sky. "I came, and slept a lot; watched the sky. Saw the animals. Managed to feed a few, although of course you're not really supposed to do that."
> 
> "Of course," murmured Subaru, wondering if he'd have an opportunity to feed anything.
> 
> "If we're careful, we'll see all kinds of wildlife as we go, Subaru-kun. We can even go snorkeling and see all the different kinds of fish, if you want."
> 
> "...Seishirou-san..." Subaru said, overwhelmed.
> 
> Seishirou beamed. "This way," he said, and headed off, Subaru trotting beside him.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Ito Onsen was one of the most reputable hot springs in all of Japan. There were seven hundred and eighty-eight separate sources of hot artesian water, loaded with a mixture of minerals that was unlike any other spring in the country. With the Amagi mountains as a backdrop and the Sagami Bay within walking distance, the Ito Onsen could not have been located in a better place.
> 
> There was no lack of visitors. Thousands of people from every age group and social standing poured in and out of the springs all throughout the year, either coming from local housing or staying at one of the many hotels in the area. They left healed and refreshed, enjoying meditation, communication, or solitude at their leisure. Kyonshi Akaguroi loved watching their before-and-after transformations; people would come in sore, tired, and exhausted, and they always left feeling like they'd been given new leases on life - just like those ads on TV. He adored witnessing the process; as far as he was concerned, he was never going to leave.
> 
> Kyonshi had lived at the onsen for close to forty years. Not that he looked a day over twenty-five, of course - his type never did - but he had to admit that as living situations for energy vampires went, this one was the best he'd ever had. He didn't even need to approach anybody personally; the ebb and flow of chi was so strong in this place that he went home completely sated every night, without leaving so much as an over-tired grandmother behind him. Definitely the life.
> 
> No energy vampire Kyonshi had never heard of had stayed in one place for so long; he'd always assumed the reason for that was because a trail of half-dead people in one's wake would tend to make the local situation dangerous. But then, Kyonshi hardly thought of himself as a vampire anymore; some days he even spent pretending he was human, especially when an attractive lady or three bartered for (and gained) his attention. Humans led such short, passionate lives, filled with a tension that no immortal creature could ever enjoy. Kyonshi, for his part, envied them. Of course, he was not human and never could be, but that wasn't something he let pull him down; what was the use in spending eternity depressed, after all?
> 
> Today was one of those days in which he certainly did not have time for depression. The weekend crowds were coming in, and the tiny bulbs in the front desk representing reservations went on and off like malfunctioning Christmas lights. Kyonshi was so pleased with the way things were going and so completely focused on his work that he didn't notice Them until They had practically walked right into his lap.
> 
> "Hello and welcome to the Onsen at Ito, how may I help y....oooooh," Kyonshi began automatically as he looked up, then stared at the feast laid before him. His pen slipped from his fingers and clattered to the floor.
> 
> They didn't seem to see the reason for his shock. "Um... are you all right?" asked the shorter one, maybe about sixteen, sort of a prettily effeminate male.
> 
> Kyonshi was resisting the urge to bounce on his toes. "Oooh, yes I'm fine, I'm fine - so sorry, I just noticed how late it was, the day has FLOWN by! How may I help you?" He tossed his head, flipping his shiny, auburn ponytail from one shoulder to the other.
> 
> The older one of the two - about twenty five, if Kyonshi's guess was correct - smiled and slid a sheet of paper across the desk. It was one of the onsen's reservation forms.
> 
> "We have a reservation," the older one said, and Kyonshi looked very excited.
> 
> "You DO!" he confirmed joyfully. "You have more than one - you have one here, and here, and here -"
> 
> "Yes, we're planning to visit more than once," the older one explained slowly, as if trying to calm him down. "Will there be a problem if we cannot make one of our appointed times?"
> 
> "Oh, not a problem, not a problem at all!" Kyonshi continued, and slid a release form back across the desk toward them. "We'll give you a full refund on your money, of course, if you don't use all your reservations, but I hope you keep in mind that every hour you spend in our water gives you another month of life. It's really worth your time to come here."
> 
> "Yes, of course it is," the older one said patiently, and started supplying written information.
> 
> The younger one looked thrilled. "Because of the minerals in the water?" he asked, his green eyes so eager and brimming with power that Kyonshi had to resist the urge to kiss him.
> 
> "That, and of course the heat helps to clean out your pores and your lungs and to regulate your heart beat," Kyonshi replied, beaming at the boy. "Ah, you DO know to get out once you start to get dizzy? Good - and it also relaxes your muscles from head to foot, which is a wonderful thing after a day of working or walking. Why, the only thing healthier would be meditation and a careful diet! Be sure to bathe before you enter. Here you go, and enjoy!" And with that, he handed them a map, two keys, towels, and slips of paper discreetly telling them when they needed to vacate their spring. The two visitors both smiled - different smiles, intriguingly different smiles - and walked down the northeast hall.
> 
> Kyonshi watched them go. His hands clasped together demurely - but tightly, so as to keep from cheering or doing anything else that would catch their attention. He managed to stay completely still until they were out of sight. Then, finally, he bounced on his toes.
> 
> Oh, what _joy_! His horoscope had said he'd be lucky that day, but he'd had NO idea how lucky he'd be. These two alone could keep him going for months at a time, even though he knew he'd have to be careful tasting them so as not to do any damage. That was the rule - no damage. After all, if he wasn't careful, this whole situation could blow up in his face. Or be blown out of the water, which was a much more appropriate analogy.
> 
> Oh, this was going to be SUCH a wonderful afternoon. Tidying up around his desk and humming a tune that hadn't been heard for at least two hundred years, Kyonshi logged his paperwork and dreamed about feasting.
> 
> * * *
> 
> "He was a little odd," Seishirou remarked as he led the way toward the bathing area.
> 
> "I thought he was nice," Subaru replied, eyeing with fascination the rows upon rows of doors, spaced broadly and evenly on either side of the hall. "He reminded me of that doctor we met last month... Watari something."
> 
> "Just a little," Seishirou agreed, and stopped outside a door. Checking his instructions to make sure it was the right one, he unlocked it and swung it open wide.
> 
> The room was immaculate. With racks for clothing and extra towels, tatami mats, electric fans, and a small fridge with bottled water, it was stocked for every possible bathing eventuality, and looked comfortable enough to sleep in.
> 
> "I think this suits our needs nicely, Subaru-kun," Seishirou remarked with a smile, and dropping his belongings into a neat pile in one corner, began to take off his clothes.
> 
> Subaru's eyes bugged. Looking quickly for refuge, he grabbed his towel and scooted into the small one-person lavatory, closing the door behind him.
> 
> Seishirou chuckled. "I'll shower first," he called amiably, tossing his towel over his shoulder and opening the straw door leading to the spring. "See you outside!"
> 
> Subaru waited until he was sure Seishirou was gone before peeking back out of the bathroom. Sure enough, he was alone; Seishirou had used the small outdoor shower outside their room - rather like the one at the only public swimming pool Subaru had visited in his life - and then settled into the hot, steaming water of their spring. Relieved, Subaru folded his clothing neatly and affixed his towel around his waist before following.
> 
> The air outside, cooling as the sun set behind the mountains, was a perfect compliment to the hot spring and added the slightest chill to Subaru's skin as he quickly showered in the shadows. Seishirou was already submerged to his chest, arms resting on smooth stone to either side. His head was back, face pointed toward the winking stars, and the contentment on his face caused Subaru to pause for a moment and simply look at him. Seishirou's eyes were closed; a fact Subaru was extremely grateful for as he hung up his towel and slipped into the water with as little splashing as possible. Trying not to draw attention to himself, he sunk neck-deep - except for his hands - and slid quickly to the other side.
> 
> Aware of Subaru's modesty, Seishirou waited until it sounded like Subaru had settled, and then he raised his head. "Isn't this wonderful, Subaru-kun?" he said, purring just the tiniest bit.
> 
> "Just right," Subaru replied, still submerged with only his hands and his face peeking out of the water. "Did you manage to write down how many we saw today?"
> 
> Seishirou smiled. "Fifteen different kinds of birds, three deer, twenty-five rodents of various sizes, and that one creature that might have been a mountain lion in the distance. I still suspect it may have been a dog."
> 
> "Dogs don't move like that, Seishirou-san," Subaru replied sleepily, turning to rest his hands on a rock and his cheek on his hands. "I'm kind of surprised how tired I am...."
> 
> "We hiked nearly twenty miles today, Subaru-kun," Seishirou observed, watching his companion sidelong. "Perhaps you're too tired to rest in here for long - would you like to set up camp on the beach tonight? The weather is supposed to be perfect."
> 
> Subaru didn't answer. Seishirou frowned slightly.
> 
> "Subaru-kun?"
> 
> Once again, there was no reply. Subaru's back rose and fell gently with the rhythm of his breathing, but his eyes remained closed, and he showed no signs of responding to Seishirou's query. Smoothly, Seishirou rose from his comfortable spot and slid through the water to where Subaru lay still.
> 
> Subaru was sound asleep.
> 
> A momentary check showed Subaru's pulse was fine, his respiration normal, and his temperature nearly perfect; but those small touches should have garnered some response, and they did not. Concerned, Seishirou shook him.
> 
> "Subaru-kun."
> 
> Nothing.
> 
> Seishirou shook him again; called his name. Pulled him out of the spring and splashed his face with water, but all to no effect. "Subaru-kun?" he tried again, murmuring close to the younger man's ear; Subaru did not stir.
> 
> Seishirou took a slow, deep breath. Panic was not in his nature; picking Subaru up again, he carried the young onmyouji back to the room and laid him on out one of the tatami mats. Quickly and expertly, he began running his fingers over the younger man's body, trying to detect anything that might indicate a curse or spell of any kind. There was nothing.
> 
> "This is not acceptable," Seishirou muttered to himself, and pulling on his trousers, left the room at a run to find a working phone.
> 
> * * *
> 
> The Ito area had a very nice hospital.
> 
> The ambulance had arrived seven minutes after Kyonshi called for it, and Subaru had been bundled into it without delay - bundled into it half dressed, at least, since Seishirou had taken the time to pull on Subaru's pants. Like Seishirou, the medical technicians tested Subaru, but could find no reason for his comatose state; he reacted to no stimuli, showed little reflex response, and the paramedics were in the process of calling the situation in as a level-one emergency when Subaru simply woke up.
> 
> There was no moment of stirring and no disorientation. Subaru just opened his eyes, sat up on the gurney, and wondered where in the world he was.
> 
> "S... Seishirou-san? Aah!" Subaru covered his bare chest with both arms, staring at everyone and absurdly grateful that at least he was wearing pants. "W-what happened? Why am I here? What is this?"
> 
> No one could give him anything other than observed facts; and those, such as they were, failed to explain anything. Though no longer a level-one emergency, Subaru still ranked as high on the worry list. Brooking no argument, they took him into the hospital and put him through a whole new battery of tests.
> 
> It was a very long night.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Kyonshi was very upset. Very, very upset - for which he held the hot springs to blame, and he was letting them know it.
> 
> "This is all your fault," he informed them, because, after all, it was. "Couldn't you have shown a LITTLE self control? You had NO restraint at all, absolutely none, and now we're in trouble! They could end up suing us, or worse - and I might have to leave! Do you understand me? Don't you care about me at all?"
> 
> A soft breeze, rising from the north and coming through the open door, whispered a reply in the thatched ceiling.
> 
> "Oh, it most certainly IS a problem," Kyonshi snapped, his voice slightly wobbly with miserable emotion; he tangled both hands in his glorious hair and sniffled. "I don't WANT to go awayt," he whimpered. "That was the Sumeragi clan HEAD you drained - the HEAD! If he comes back here, he'll make me leave, or kill me, or imprison me or something, and it's all because you couldn't have a little self control!" He shouted at the ceiling again. "Rule number ONE! There is to be NO damage, to ANY person, at ANY time! Period!"
> 
> Silence. Apparently demoralized, Kyonshi dropped his head and slumped unhappily to the ground. "You're so mean to me sometimes, Ashikase."
> 
> Suddenly the breeze came again, only this time it was stronger - too strong. A shuddering like a great beast stretching its back beneath the floor shook the room, then a pulsing red glow began to shine from the floor up along Kyonshi's body.
> 
> He gasped, and for a moment went utterly still, his features sharpened in sudden bliss as the glow grew around him.
> 
> "No," he moaned, low and breathless, and tried to gathered himself together. The glow did not abate.
> 
> "I said NO!" he suddenly shouted, and wrenched himself sideways in a shambling attempt to escape out the door. As if the light were a physical boundary he had to cross, he cried out as he passed it, and bruises appeared on his skin.
> 
> "I don't want that!" he gasped as he collapsed against the wall, beginning to cry. "How could you try to give that to me? I don't want something that awful!" More breeze answered in return, but apparently Kyonshi didn't want to hear it. "No. No more. I'm leaving. I'll come back and talk to you AFTER you're done showing off with things you've stolen from very nice people!" And without so much as another glare, he leapt straight through the door and out of the room.
> 
> The floor absorbed his tears, and then both the door to the hall and the door leading to the hot spring slammed shut behind him all by themselves.
> 
> * * *
> 
> It was three in the afternoon, and Subaru was still sleeping.
> 
> Of course, Seishirou couldn't blame the boy; between blood tests and x-rays and everything else they'd done, Subaru hadn't gotten peace and quiet until well after ten a.m.. Of course, Seishirou had stayed awake with him; but he was used to working nocturnally.
> 
> Some years ago, the emperor of Japan had created and distributed a list of Very Important People who, at the first sign of trouble, were to receive all priority in medical attention. Naturally, Subaru was on that list; and since comas definitely qualified as trouble - especially when no one could diagnose the cause - Subaru had been given far more of that attention than he wanted.
> 
> In short, they'd run every single test they could think of, and every single one of them had come back negative. Subaru, as it turned out, was an unusually healthy boy.
> 
> The doctor heading the inquiry sat now behind his impressive desk, tainted faintly blue by the dozens of backlit scans hanging on the wall behind him. He looked at Seishirou and gravely folded his hands. "We're not certain what's wrong," the doctor said, apparently taking the honest path since Subaru was a VIP. "We've ruled out both epilepsy and narcolepsy; there is no evidence of any kind of allergic reaction or poison, and as far as we can see he has no head or back injuries. Sumeragi-san does not have a history of this kind of behavior. We can do nothing more for him except to suggest that he be cautious with his activities in the future, especially if there is a repeat."
> 
> Seishirou sighed. "I thought as much," he said, nodding. "I take it he's free to go once he awakens?"
> 
> "Of course," said the doctor. "I hope you have a way to contact help immediately in case he falls into this state again."
> 
> "Yes, we do," Seishirou said, not bothering to elaborate.
> 
> The doctor nodded and stood; his lab coat looked more blue than white in this lighting. "I'll make sure you have the correct paperwork."
> 
> "Thank you," replied Seishirou, and wondered if Subaru were going to cancel their trip. He wondered if Subaru SHOULD. Wearing a mask of concern, he wended his way back toward the in-patient sector to see what Subaru would choose; hopefully, at least the boy wouldn't be too unhappy.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Subaru was anything but unhappy; he'd never been surrounded by so many nice people in his life.
> 
> Looking even more delicate than usual in a faded sheep-pattern hospital gown, Subaru sat in his bed and smiled at the nurses who kept coming in to see him. They brought him food, things to read, offered advice on what was good on the television, talked about their families - in short, did pretty much anything that would give them an excuse to be in the room with him.
> 
> Subaru had no idea why; he just enjoyed making them smile.
> 
> He didn't want to take them away from their work, of course, so when the parade of nurses had first begun, he'd tried to be less than friendly with them; but then one or two had started looking hurt, and _that_ plan was abandoned immediately. Now, at least two nurses at a time came into his room to see him, trading off as if taking shifts. It was a little odd, but he'd certainly seen odder.
> 
> "Thank you," Subaru said to one who'd just brought him a chocolate chip cookie for no reason at all.
> 
> "You're welcome!" she beamed in reply, and then headed back out the door looking as happy as if she'd just pet a tiny duckling. Seishirou passed her as she left.
> 
> "Seishirou-san!" Subaru said.
> 
> "You're awake," Seishirou observed, sitting next to the bed and studying Subaru closely.
> 
> "Yes, I am," Subaru said; his expression melted. "Seishirou-san, I'm so sorry - "
> 
> Seishirou held up one hand. "None of that, Subaru-kun. I know you couldn't help it - it wasn't your choice! There is nothing to forgive. Now, the only question is: where are we going from here?" He gazed at Subaru closely, his expression very serious. "This hasn't happened to you before, and it may not happen again; but is that something we want to risk?"
> 
> And he watched the battle on Subaru's face. The challenge - the pull of responsibility versus the desire for play and freedom, which were things Subaru experienced so very rarely that their taste was intoxicating. It went dancing through his eyes over and over until he looked almost too upset to decide.
> 
> "I don't want to go back yet," Subaru finally said softly, studying his gloved hands. "Not after everything you've done for me - this is a wonderful present. We don't have anything to do until Tuesday, Seishirou-san. Do you think... do you think we could stay?"
> 
> Seishirou smiled. "We can stay," he said encouragingly, and Subaru's eyes lit with visible relief. "But we're going to be   
more careful. Regular rests, and certainly no more twenty-mile hikes - all right?"
> 
> "All right," Subaru conceded, and gave an answering smile. "Do you think we can go back to that hot spring?" he asked, and Seishirou paused before answering.
> 
> "Why would you want to go back there?" he said, carefully keeping his voice neutral.
> 
> "I just... want to," Subaru said earnestly, and blushed all the way to the tips of his ears. "I already caused enough trouble for that man - Kyonshi-san - and it sounded like he was so upset when this happened. I don't want him to feel like it was his fault, or that his onsen is anything but perfect. Please? Can we go back?"
> 
> Seishirou chuckled softly, shaking his head. "So kind, Subaru-kun," he said. "I think we can manage that - if he'll have us. Sometimes embarrassed people can do very strange things."
> 
> "I know," Subaru confessed. "They do it because they're hurting and want to avoid more hurt - but I want to _relieve_ his hurt. That's what I want to do - it's why I want to go back."
> 
> Seishirou sighed, then nodded. "I'll get your release forms," he said. "You stay here - and if any more women come in to flirt with you, you can just tell them you're already engaged to the handsome veterinarian who brought you in!"
> 
> "Seishirou-san!!" Subaru exclaimed in horror, flushing once more; satisfied, Seishirou smiled and left the room.
> 
> [ to be continued ]


	3. Chapter 3

> It was late in the evening. Most people were in bed, Kyonshi had had a long day, and this on top of everything else was just a bit too strange. He stared at them as if they both had two heads.
> 
> "Thank you for being so understanding, Kyonshi-san," Subaru said - grateful, apparently, for this extra chance to endanger himself.
> 
> "Oh, it's the least I can do," Kyonshi murmured in reply, absently tugging a lock of his auburn hair. "I, er... could offer you a night's stay, free of charge." It was a casual offer, simply the kind of thing responsible management would do; but the moment the words left his lips, his young guest seemed to panic.
> 
> "I... ah... I... I don't... um..." Subaru stammered wildly. "No, no, that REALLY isn't necessary - um, Seishirou-san?" he finally said, turning to his older friend for guidance. Kyonshi withheld a sigh. THIS was the head of the Sumeragi clan? Well, at least the kid was smart enough to bring brains along with him in the form of a friend/lover/whateverthehell -
> 
> Kyonshi glanced at the older man - and froze, because what he saw in Sakurazuka's eyes was certain death.
> 
> Cold. Calculating, somehow tangibly disapproving of this offer to spend the night as well as any attention, perhaps, that Kyonshi had unintentionally wrested from Seishirou himself. The steps needed and action required to kill him had already been calculated, and for an instant - for just one, infinitesimal instant - Seishirou had undeniably been going to try.
> 
> "Eep," the onsen owner said very quietly; and suddenly, Seishirou was smiling as brighly as the light of day cresting a waterfall.
> 
> "I think we can manage that, Subaru-kun," Seishirou said, cheerful to all and sundry.
> 
> Kyonshi stared at them; he swallowed. "Uh... this way," he said, trying to keep his voice from cracking, and grabbed an uncounted number of towels from behind the counter. Scurrying, he zipped down the hall on the right.
> 
> Naturally, the two weirdos followed.
> 
> _All is NOT right here,_ Kyonshi thought to himself, but there really wasn't much opportunity to do anything about it. Pulling a voluminous set of keys from his pocket, he began trying them out one by one to get the door in front of him open.
> 
> It took a moment, and that was bad because it gave Kyonshi time to wonder: did this Seishirou, this Sakurazuka, know he'd seen? Secret-killer-types usually didn't LIKE to be seen. It would probably be bad if he knew Kyonshi knew; and, given the way things were going lately, Seishirou-Sakurazuka-man probably DID know.
> 
> Kyonshi eeped again.
> 
> "Ah - there we go!" he suddenly exclaimed, and flung the door open wide.
> 
> "Oooooh," said Subaru, and scuttled in to take a look. The room was furnished in teak wood, western-style furniture and royal, deep reds and blues. It was, in fact, for very highranking visitors, when they came; Kyonshi figured the Sumeragi clan head was certainly high-ranking enough, and more importantly, this hallway was nearly deserted. Safer that way.
> 
> "Oh - oh, we can't just... take this, Kyonshi-san," Subaru said, turning to face him with wide, liquid eyes. "And certainly not for free. I want to pay for it."
> 
> "No, no, I insist - "
> 
> "So do I," Sakurazuka interrupted smoothly. "If anyone pays for it, I will; but perhaps, Subaru-kun, Kyonshi-san will feel better if you let him give us this gift."
> 
> Subaru bit his lower lip. "You're right, Seishirou-san, of course. Thank you, Kyonshi-san." He bowed.
> 
> Yow. These two were weirder than he'd thought. "Of course, of course. Here's your key," Kyonshi said, holding it out; naturally, Sakurazuka-man was the one to snatch it.
> 
> "Enjoy!" Kyonshi squeaked, and with that - desiring no more evil looks from Subaru's strange older friend - he bowed straight down the hall and out of sight before anyone could say another word about it.
> 
> "Eeeek," Kyonshi said, rounding the corner to his office and placing his back against the wall, hand over his heart. He frowned at the ceiling. "Don't do anything stupid, okay?" he whispered, slapping it lightly. "Do you hear? If ANYTHING else goes wrong, I swear to you I will declare an epidemic of termites and quarantine you off for a month!"
> 
> The wall groaned slightly, perhaps in agreement, perhaps in annoyance. Kyonshi, at least, seemed sure of himself. He nodded. "And don't you forget it."
> 
> * * *
> 
> "Oh my goodness, Seishirou-san " Subaru said, somehow looked guilty and thrilled at the same time. "I can't believe this! I feel horrible using this room for free. This must be for heads of state or something," he opined, sliding his gloved hand over an elegantly carved end table. "We'll have to do something nice for Kyonshi-san before we leave. Eh... I don't suppose anything in the area is in need of an exorcism."
> 
> Seishirou chuckled. "Mm, I can think of something that is, Subaru-kun," he answered, flinging himself onto the four-poster bed with a sigh. "His conscience." And he smiled.
> 
> Subaru glared at him sternly. "That isn't funny, Seishirou-san. We still don't know what caused it."
> 
> "Now, see, Subaru-kun," Seishirou said, sitting up and wondering how long it would take Subaru to realize that they'd be sharing a bed. "That's exactly why you cannot say it was NOT his fault. You don't know what it was. And neither do I," he muttered, the latter comment more for himself than for his companion.
> 
> Subaru sighed. "Yes, but... he means no harm. I can tell, Seishirou-san."
> 
> "Subaru-kun, you assume no one means harm unless they're coming at you with a weapon, and even then you make up excuses for them," Seishirou said casually, lying on his side; and then for some reason, decided to push the issue. "Subaru-kun," he asked companionably. "Which side do you want?"
> 
> "Side?"
> 
> Seishirou ran his fingertips down the sheet in front of him like an invitation. "Side."
> 
> Subaru made a very tiny noise that sounded like a hiccough.
> 
> "Maybe I'll just stay right here - would it bother you to sleep on the north side of the bed, Subaru-kun?"
> 
> "N-n-no, Seishirou-san, it-it-it wouldn't," Subaru said, eyes growing wider and wider as he took in the gravity of the situation. His gaze flicked from side to side, panicked. Bravely, he offered, "I can sleep on the floor."
> 
> "Nonsense, Subaru-kun; a western-style bed is just what the doctor ordered. Now come up here and let me know if this is the side you want, because if it is, then I am going to curl up on my OWN side and take a nap. Fair enough?"
> 
> Subaru bit his lower lip, then nodded. "All right, Seishirou-san. I'm coming now." Forcing himself not to hesitate, Subaru walked right over, clambered onto the rather high four-poster bed, and lay on his back, absolutely stiffly, regarding the canopy with gravity. He was silent for a long moment, concentration on his face. His lips were moving - as though he were casting a spell. Finally, quietly, he spoke.
> 
> "Seishirou-san, are you happy with your side?"
> 
> There was no answer. The spell had worked; Seishirou had fallen asleep.
> 
> Subaru sighed in relief. He watched the older man for a few moments, his expression softening as he regarded his friend; some guilt was there, but mostly concern, warmth - a tenderness that he would have trouble admitting to verbally.
> 
> "I'm sorry," he whispered gently, slipping out of the bed. "I hope you aren't angry with me once you wake up. I had to go looking on my own. Sleep well, Seishirou-san." Still looking moderately guilty, Subaru tiptoed to the door and left, closing it behind him.
> 
> The moment the door was closed, Seishirou opened his eyes. "A sleep spell, Subaru-kun?" he murmured to himself, sitting up slowly. "A fairly strong one, too; what has you so worried, I wonder?" And with that, he slipped out of the bed and followed.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Subaru tiptoed down the hall, glad for the late hour, and hoped no one else would be around. This wasn't like Tokyo; it seemed that anyone who was here had come not to party, but to rest, and it soon became clear that Subaru was the only guest still walking about. The proprieter was probably still up, but that was okay; Subaru had a few questions for him, should they meet.
> 
> No one bothered him as he entered the room he and Seishirou had used to change earlier. No one bothered him as he closed it, moved to its center, and began to chant softly; no one woke or even noticed -
> 
> But some_thing_ noticed; and of that something, Subaru grew more aware by the moment. Red, eerie power began to rise from the floor as he chanted, bathing his skin in ichor and turning his clothes to blood. Such power stored here! What an amazing thing - but that was nothing compared to what he found next.
> 
> There was a Mind. A real, non-human, powerful Mind - one that did not feel very old to Subaru, somehow, as though for all its broadness he were approaching only a child-god. Curious, he addressed it.
> 
> A moment later, he was gone.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Seishirou was _not_ a happy camper, pun not intended. He'd followed Subaru at a short distance, keeping him in "feel" if not in sight, and everything had been just fine until the boy had turned that corner. Seishirou had heard a door shut; clearly, Subaru had gone into a room. But when Seishirou began his own trek down that all, the feel of Subaru simply... disappeared.
> 
> This was odd - not to mention impossible. Eyes narrowing slightly, he hurried around the corner himself and began passing doors, hands out to either side as he tried to feel the marks he'd put in Subaru's skin. There was nothing; when a second pass was also ineffective, he sent out his shikigami to help look and began opening doors.
> 
> Seishirou's profession at least gave him the ability to be less than intrusive, and no one woke as he probed their rooms. A quick sleep-spell through the door didn't hurt, either, but it was fairly obvious to him that everyone was already in for the night. He came across no wakeful people; he also came across no Subaru.
> 
> Just to be sure - because this_ had_ to be wrong - he went through all the doors and rooms again; there was no Sumeragi.
> 
> Seishirou did not consider himself a particularly patient man, but by the same token, he wasn't impatient; he simply took life as it came, usually with little or no emotional impact, and handled whatever it was he had to handle before moving on. This was, he reflected as he gripped Kyonshi's throat and slammed the man into the wall, one of the few times in his life when he could feel a certain sense of _annoyance_; genuine irritation, not quite anger, but certainly unpleasant enough to require... steps.
> 
> "Subaru-kun is missing," he said casually to the choking man in his hand.
> 
> Kyonshi tried to say something and gurgled; but he did not look quite frightened enough yet, so Seishirou decided it was time for a little walk.
> 
> * * *
> 
> There was a flurry of motion - power like Kyonshi had never known, grace, deadly elegance, and suddenly they were both outside and on the roof. Seishirou was holding him out over the drop like a bag of garbage; if Kyonshi hadn't been so annoyed at the whole situation, he would have been very impressed.
> 
> He gurgled again.
> 
> "Yes, yes, I know, you're going to tell me everything," said Sakurazuka calmly. "How much you tell me and how quickly will determine a lot of things about your immediate future, so if you would be good enough to begin explaining... now?" And he dropped Kyonshi onto the roof with no consideration at all.
> 
> There were a few moments in which Kyonshi could make no sound besides gagging. Vampire he was, but a squashed trachea wasn't to be laughed at in any situation; he certainly wasn't laughing.
> 
> It might have been nicer if Sakurazuka were laughing, but that obviously wasn't going to happen. There wasn't so much as a maniacal cackle; the man was being utterly cold, as though whatever was happening interested him in a purely professional sense.
> 
> ...Sumeragi missing? Kyonshi hoped the boy would be all right; he'd seemed so _nice_.
> 
> "I'm waiting," said Sakurazuka casually, unblinking in the dark.
> 
> "I..." Kyonshi finally managed, rubbing his sore throat and trying not to pout. "I don't know... what you mean." Ugh; he sounded like a career smoker -
> 
> "Wrong answer," Sakurazuka said calmly, and planted his foot squarely on Kyonshi's chest.
> 
> "Gack!" Kyonshi managed, hearing and feeling at least one rib break. Flattened roughly against the roof and now with even less air than he'd had in the first place, he squawked, "I mean it! I don't know what you mean! Who's missing? What are you talking about? ...oooow...."
> 
> Sakurazuka sighed. There was a scent of petals about him, of Sakura, and Kyonshi wondered distractedly if it were his aftershave. Such a HEAVY foot.... "Subaru-kun left my room a about an hour ago, and has completely disappeared. He is not in any room in this onsen; he is not down any of the halls, or walking around outside, or even lying unconscious in one of the pools of springwater. He is simply gone; and I think you understand why at this point I am beginning to grow anxious."
> 
> Kyonshi scowled at him. This was getting absurd, and ruining his sweater. Ashikase had never KILLED anyone, so that certainly wasn't it. Feh; maybe this guy had been mean enough to drive the boy away. "Perhaps he was just trying to get away from YOU," he suggested dryly, trying not to breathe too deeply for the sake of his cracked rib. "You shouldn't have let him go wandering off if he had a tendency for disappearances. I honestly don't have a clue where he is!"
> 
> Sakurazuka sighed. "What a pity," he said; and then did something very surprising.
> 
> Kyonshi could not gasp; he could not really choke, either, or lift his hand to wipe at the blood suddenly sliding from his mouth. Somehow, Sakurazuka's arm was THROUGH his chest, and it hurt so badly that for a moment Kyonshi thought that he really did not like the man at all, at all.
> 
> And then, he passed out.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Taking him for dead, Seishirou dropped the body onto the roof where it landed with a thud, and wondered why he'd done that. Killing because of emotional issues was something he had never done, and did not recognize it now; the man had simply failed to provide information about Subaru, and that... meant... he had to die. Or suffer, but die was a second best option.
> 
> A pity, indeed; messy deaths, especially unnecessary, were never wise. He would have to hide the body later, make sure it was not traced to him, check for any witnesses -
> 
> AFTER he found Subaru.
> 
> Taking off his jacket and wrapping it inside out to conceal the blood, Seishirou hopped back down to the ground and resumed his search for the young Sumeragi.
> 
> * * *
> 
> It was very startling indeed; Subaru had not expected to be _transported_.
> 
> But here he was. Suddenly not in the room he'd been inspecting, nor in the onsen, nor in anywhere he knew at all. Suddenly he was just _here_ - a strange, red place, full of odors best left unconsidered and sounds like oil bubbling. There were shapes in the distance, too - odd shapes, not quite recognizable; Subaru didn't _think_ that they were bodies.
> 
> And there was a Mind around him; aall around him, vast... and unfriendly.
> 
> "Hello?" he ventured.
> 
> _Onymouji_... came back. The voice was all around him, too.
> 
> "Yes?" he hesitated.
> 
> _Why have you come to haunt me?_ Came the voice, and Subaru frowned in puzzlement.
> 
> "But I haven't come to do anything to you," he said. "I was on vacation."
> 
> _Your presence here cannot be an accident._ This voice was so strange; weird and hoarse like a young man pretending to be an old one, ending "up" on each sentence as though every statement was a question. And then there was the accent -
> 
> _You will not leave here,_ it said, and Subaru sighed slowly.
> 
> "If you don't want me to haunt - or hunt - you, then please - maybe you shouldn't be making threats," he said as politely as he could. And the entire Mind around him began to shake.
> 
> He stumbled, unable to keep to his feet; the weirdly spongy/fleshy material beneath his feet did nothing to help him stand.
> 
> _ WE WILL EAT YOU!_ was the only warning - and then all of the red came down on top of him.
> 
> Subaru had time to shout, once, but it wasn't a very loud one; weight like he'd never known was pressing down on his body, destroying his air, his lungs, his bones -
> 
> His face was covered, he couldn't breathe -
> 
> All in the feeling of warm, clammy flesh, pitted as if from years of hideous acne, filling his mouth when he opened to breathe and tasting like _nothing at all_ -
> 
> And... and... it felt so **good_._**
> 
> It was fortunate for Subaru that he lived in such an ascetic manner; the pleasure was almost blinding, yes, but it was not quite enough to put him under its trance. More importantly, the intensity of it was strange enough that it frightened him - and that fear became his lifeline.
> 
> **_NO_** he thought at it - and suddenly everything around him exploded as if hit by a freight train. There was a tremendous _bang_, and abruptly the weight was off him - he was flying through the air, along with all of it, and the pieces were pieces but THEY WERE STILL ALIVE -
> 
> _I need to think about this more_ he timidly informed himself, and taking advantage of the thing's distraction, he willed himself back to the Onsen. Fortunately for him, this time it worked.
> 
> He tried not to think about the mad howling voices left behind
> 
> * * *
> 
> Subaru arrived in his old room up near the ceiling, for whatever reason. He was exhausted; there was pain in his chest, and he had just enough time to register that he was falling before someone caught him. That someone, ironically, was Seishirou Sakurazuka.
> 
> - who, for the first time in Subaru's memory, looked genuinely surprised.
> 
> "Subaru-kun! Where - " the man exclaimed; and before he had the chance to say more, he saw something that made him even _more_ surprised. If Subaru had felt a little more connected to reality, he would have found it very funny.
> 
> "THERE you are, you see?" Kyonshi said snappishly from the doorway, levelling a finger at them both. "I TOLD you I didn't know, and YOU didn't believe me, and here you had him stashed up by the ceiling fan or something the whole time because I think you LIKE being mean - like I said before, he was probably just trying to stay away from YOU - and you've ruined my shirt, and put me in a VERY bad mood, and if you're QUITE through earning the mean award of the year, I would like to say GOODBYE!" And the man posed again, stiff and stern, this time pointing down the hallway in the general direction of the door.
> 
> Seishirou did not move; in fact, for a very long moment, he almost looked afraid.
> 
> "Um?" tried Subaru weakly, and then Kyonshi blinked and he changed the subject.
> 
> "I say, what IS all over you?"
> 
> Pink, slimy, fleshy blobs covered Subaru's body. Apparently, it had not been a purely spiritual realm after all.
> 
> "Oh, no" said Subaru quietly, and then he passed out.
> 
> [ to be continued ]


End file.
